The UK has long been known for its horrendously damp conditions. From late December 2025 to early February 2026, the Met Office had several facilities that observed 37 or more successive rainy days. It's no surprise many Brits are looking for sunnier climates and starting to ask, where can I live with a British passport?
Although Brits can travel temporarily to a good variety of locations visa-free, the options for living and working without a visa are far more limited. Get help from immigration solicitors like Immigration Advice Service to get a visa that can broaden your options.
The Places You Can Move Visa-Free
Without a visa, you can live and work in the following places:
The Common Travel Area (Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and Ireland).
- Gibraltar.
- Paraguay.
- Belize.
Although these places have varying degrees of sovereignty, they retain close ties to Britain, often because they were part of the British Empire. While not needing a traditional long-stay visa to live and work, each one has different stipulations that you must abide by.
Furthermore, family members of British citizens will also often need visas and permits to live and work in these nations if they are not British citizens. This is particularly the case if they are also not a European Economic Area or Swiss citizen.
Living and Working in Ireland
Owing to the close historical ties between Britain and Ireland and agreements concluded shortly after Ireland became independent, British citizens have a wide range of rights to live in Ireland. These are bilateral rights, shared by Irish citizens who wish to live in Britain.
The rights that you will have without a visa include the following:
Travelling freely between Britain and Ireland.
- Working in the country without requiring an employment permit.
- Accessing public healthcare.
- Voting in general elections.
While in Ireland, make sure that you are paying the proper taxes to avoid getting in trouble with the authorities.
Belize and Paraguay
Across the Atlantic, you won't need a long-term visa to live and work in the small Central American nation of Belize or the landlocked South American country of Paraguay. However, you'll need to be careful to ensure your status in these countries remains legal.
In Belize, you'll need to spend £10 to get a 30-day Temporary visa, which comes with full rights to live and work in the country, and also to buy property with the same rights as Belize's citizens. You can easily renew this visa as many times as you want.
It will be a pain to keep remembering to do this, but it will be far easier than going through the strict application procedure for a long-term visa. You will also not have to worry about it anymore once you successfully apply for permanent residence. This status will become available after you've been in the country continuously for five years.
Paraguay's visa-free process works slightly differently. British passport holders can enter the country and remain there without a visa for up to 90 days. To stay longer, you'll need to get a permanent residence permit by paying a deposit of £2,698. You won't even need permanent residence status to buy property in the country. A valid passport is all that is needed.
Many nations require you to remain in the country continuously to maintain your permanent residence. Paraguay is different, as you only need to visit once every three years. This perk is perfect for digital nomads who want to have the country as a base.
The Common Travel Area and Gibraltar
Brits don't need a visa or permit to live, work, or study in the Common Travel Area. These territories include England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. You won't have to worry about naturalisation or permanent residency for any of these locations.
Gibraltar also allows British citizens to live and work without a visa as it is classed as a British Overseas Territory. Yet, you will not automatically have permanent residence or the right of abode. You'll need to fulfill certain criteria to get these rights, such as being self-sustaining through employment, self-employment or as a retired pensioner. Retirees will need to show that they have been able to secure suitable accommodation and have a high enough pension income to survive.
Make sure to register locally before starting any work for a Gibraltar-based company. Common industries on the territory include financial services, law, fintech, and online gaming.
Over Considerations When Moving Abroad
Even if you don't need a visa to move abroad, the UK Government still has demands you must meet to avoid falling foul of your tax obligations.
Firstly, complete Form P85. This informs HMRC that you are moving abroad. HMRC will inform you if you are able to claim any tax refunds.
You will also need to participate in a UK Statutory Residence Test, which determines what your tax residency status will be. The results define if you still need to pay any UK tax, with factors like the number of days you spend in the UK taken into account.
How Can Immigration Advice Service Help?
As has been shown above, even if you don't need a visa, you may still have obligations in the territory or country you move to. IAS can help you to meet these obligations, such as gaining permanent residency in Paraguay or Belize.
It is also worth considering the other countries that you may like to move to, even if British citizens need a visa to live or work there. Their expert team can help you to understand what visas you might be eligible for before guiding you through the entire application process.
Should you decide you want help to move abroad visa-free or with acquiring the necessary visa to move elsewhere, get in touch with them today. You can also visit them online to discover the range of immigration services they offer.
